"Ben Sasse is a strong conservative with a proven record of solving difficult problems," Senate Conservatives Fund Executive Director Matt Hoskins said in a statement on Tuesday. "He's an expert on health care policy and will help repeal Obamacare and enact free-market health care policies that lower costs and increase quality. There are other good candidates in this race, but Ben Sasse stands above the rest. He's smart, principled, and he's not afraid to tackle tough issues. Ben Sasse will make Nebraska proud and we look forward to working with the grassroots to help him get his message out."

Sasse drew attention in the local press in October for saying that he would have voted against the bipartisan agreement that ended the federal government shutdown.

A nod from the Senate Conservatives Fund is likely to only boost Sasse's fundraising which has already been far and ahead of other Republican candidates in the field for Johanns seat. At the end of September the liberal arts school president reported raising a hefty $750,000 in the race.